Syriza on course for absolute majority

Greece’s left-wing Syriza appeared on course last night to trounce the ruling conservatives in yesterday’s snap election and could win the absolute majority it wants to fight international creditors’ insistence on painful austerity measures.

Syriza was on course to win between 149-151 seats in the 300-seat parliament, with 36.5% of the vote, almost nine points ahead of the conservative New Democracy party of prime minister Antonis Samaras, according to interior ministry projections, based on a partial count of the vote.

40-year-old Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras was set to become prime minister of the first eurozone government openly opposed to bailout conditions imposed by the European Union and International Monetary Fund during the economic crisis.